Besides the direct addition of scents to washing and cleaning agents, fabric softeners, and cosmetics, the addition of so-called pro-scents has also been proposed. Pro-scents, analogously to pro-drugs, represent a chemical derivative of a scent which, for example, decreases the volatility of the scent and permits a time-delayed release of the scent under ambient conditions. By derivatizing scents such as scent aldehydes, scent ketones, or scent alcohols, it is possible to lower the vapor pressure of these compounds. Because the derivatization reaction is reversible, the chemically bound scent aldehyde, scent ketone, or scent alcohol can be cleaved at the binding site under specific conditions, for example ambient conditions. The scent aldehyde or scent ketone is thereby released again; this can result in an extended scent impression.
In addition, besides extending the scent impression, counteracting bad odors also plays a large role.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,861,402 describes pro-scents that contain a scent aldehyde or scent ketone bound in the form of an oxazolidine. For example, N-benzylethanolamine is reacted with a scent in order to yield a monocyclic oxazolidine.
WO 2004/009564 A2 relates to cyclic co-surfactants that are produced by a condensation reaction of C3 to C6 aldehydes with polyvalent alcohols, amines, thiols, or carboxylic acids. The co-surfactants are suitable for use in household washing agents, household cleaners, body cleansing agents, and toiletries.
The object of the present invention is thus to furnish improved scent precursor forms, so-called pro-scents, that can sustainably cover bad odors even over a period of several days.
The term “bad odor” is commonly known to one skilled in the art. A “bad odor” for purposes of this Application includes all odors that, in a group of ten persons, is categorized by at least seven of those persons as unpleasant or bad. Examples of such bad odors are perspiration odor, fecal odor, mildew odor, bacterially generated bad odor, fish odor, the odor of C1 to C15 fatty acids, or the odor of wet laundry that has stood for hours.
The object of the present invention is furthermore to furnish pro-scents that permit an extended scent impression in the context of scent aldehydes, scent ketones, and scent alcohols that inherently have a high vapor pressure. A further intention is to obtain a pleasant and long-lasting scent with the substrates treated with the compounds according to the present invention.
The object in particular was to furnish hydrolysis-stable pro-scents that can be incorporated into aqueous compositions, for example into aqueous washing and cleaning agents, and that result in a positive scent impression on the user even several days after utilization and in the presence of bad odors, for example from wet, washed laundry that has been left for several days in the washing machine or laundry basket.
Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.